


Mr Broody and The Vengeance Demon or The Ship That Never Sailed

by elisi



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-26
Updated: 2009-11-26
Packaged: 2017-10-03 18:43:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elisi/pseuds/elisi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anya goes to LA post-Same Time, Same Place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Finding her place.

Anya didn't like Mondays. She used to, back when she was human. Getting up and going to work had been a pleasure, her place in the world secure - she was a productive member of society, and as long as she earned more money than she spent she was happy. But now...

It wasn't that she was jealous of the humans, really, with their short life span and many difficult customs. It was more a sense of being unfulfilled. Vengeance was strangely dull - not the fun and frolic she remembered. Trying to tease wishes out of stupid, vapid girls was not as enjoyable as making a difficult sale to a dithering customer; the granting of a wish not as satisfying as the cheery *ping* of the cash register.

Of course it didn't help that she was still stuck in Sunnydale where she kept running into her ex-fiancé and friends. Continually reminding her of what she'd lost and making sure that the big aching hole in her heart never stopped hurting. What she needed was a change - a new place with new faces! Money wasn't an issue, since her internet trading was still going well.

So Anya set off for LA.

***

The bar was shiny, well lit and pleasant. Only it was a demonbar and there was not a human in sight for a vengeance demon who was behind on her quota. But Anya went up to the bar anyway and ordered a drink. She knew that she ought to be working, but it was nice just to relax and blend in. Also she had new clothes to show off, but didn't want any advances tonight - not from humans anyway. Mostly she just wanted to get drunk and numb the pain a bit. Although if a handsome vampire or similar came along, she might not pass up the offer.

"Hi there Sugarplum - why the long face? Actually, you don't have to tell me, I can see a good bit of it already. Don't mean to spy or anything, but you're practically broadcasting to the whole room!"

Anya slowly turned to see a tall green demon, in a lurid suit, standing at her elbow.

"Who are you?" she asked, frowning.

"Forgive me, honey, my name's Lorne - empath demon - which is why I could tell that you're not very happy with the world in general. Although that could probably be said of most of the clientele here." He gestured with his hand to include the other demons scattered around the room, most of whom really did look rather glum.

She didn't know what to make of him, but he seemed like a friendly guy even if he wasn't really her type, so she held out her hand: "I'm Anyanka - vengeance demon for wronged women, only I'm sort of on holiday." She shrugged. "Just call me Anya."

Lorne smiled and sat down next to her. A moment later a drink appeared in front of him, so he was obviously a regular customer.

"Anya, if you feel like having a good long chat, then count me in. From what I can tell, no-one's been really listening to you for a long time."

She took a good look at him and liked what she saw. The guy was genuine and she could really do with an understanding ear. Back in Sunnydale she only had Halfrek, who - although a very good friend - had no idea what she was going through. Of all the others, Spike had been the only one to listen, but he'd disappeared after the whole trying-to-rape-Buffy thing and now he was apparently insane and souled. There would most likely be no more consolation sex from that side. So she started talking...

"Well, I used to be human and I was engaged to this guy..."

***

At closing time, Anya thought that Lorne was possibly the nicest guy she'd ever met. Sadly she wasn't attracted to him, but in one evening he had shown more sympathy and friendliness than any of her human friends had in months. She was rather tipsy, but had a feeling that come morning Lorne would still be a swell guy.

"Now tell me cherry pie, do you have anywhere to stay?"

She blinked and frowned, as she tried to think. "No - I suppose I should find some hotel or other. I mean - there are probably plenty of vengeance demons here, but sadly I'm not really famous anymore, so I'm hardly going to be welcomed with open arms!"

"Well, in that case, you come with me. As it happens I live in a hotel that's mostly empty, so there's lots of space for a pretty little thing like you. I'm sure my friends won't mind, as long as you don't go granting any wishes!"

"Thank you!" she said, feeling that maybe things were looking up.

 

As they walked into the foyer of the Hyperion a while later, she saw a tall, dark-haired vampire emerge from an office: "Lorne, where have you been? And - who's that?"

"Angel - let me introduce you to Anya, she's-"

A light bulb went on in her head, as she suddenly realised where she had seen him before: "Angel! That's it! You're that large glowery fellow who used to date Buffy and lost his soul! But then Willow put it back and now you're all friendly again."

Both Angel and Lorne stared at her with undiluted astonishment.

_Great, more explanations needed. _

"We met once a few years ago, when there was that incident with the Chumash Indians who gave Xander syphilis - you helped us fight and then you swept back into the night without saying hello to Buffy and she got really pissed off!"

Angel looked at her more intently, obviously trying to remember her. She sighed.

"I was Xander's girlfriend. And human. Now I'm a vengeance demon and very tired. Lorne said I could stay? Don't worry, I won't grant any wishes."

Angel stared at her, clearly unable to work out what to do with her and finally turned to Lorne: "You brought a _vengeance demon_ here?"

"Angel, she's deeply unhappy and could really do with some support! We help the helpless, remember?" And he shot Angel a look she couldn't really decipher.

Angel, smiling awkwardly, turned back to Anya: "I suppose you can stay - you're a friend of Buffy's did you say?"

She shrugged. "More or less. She was one of my bridesmaids, but then Xander left me at the altar and everyone's been all awkward since."

There was a sudden odd look in Angel's eyes, and she could feel her vengeance-senses tingle.

"Xander left you at the altar?" He thought for a little while. "Listen... Anya... stay as long as you like - the hotel is large and as long as you don't kill any humans - or turn them into rats or something like that - you're more than welcome!"

She looked from one man to the other, tears suddenly in her eyes: "Sorry, but - you guys are just so nice! I -I..."

Lorne gently put a hand on her arm and began to lead her up the stairs. "Come on, let's find you a nice room."

When she was tucked in bed sometime later she felt that she ought to do something to pay back the kindness she had been shown. She just needed to figure out what.

***

After a few days, Anya decided that she far preferred Angel Investigations to the Scooby gang - especially when she discovered that they charged for saving people's lives!

"I suggested that to Buffy once, but of course I was booed out of the room!" she stated to Gunn, who was doing the weekly weapons check-up.

"Well, I guess as the Slayer she has some sort of special calling thing or other, right?"

Anya rolled her eyes. "I suppose! She was just really short of money at the time and killing things is her main talent, so you'd think she'd combine the two."

Gunn grinned at her. "Well, that's how it works for me! Are you any good at research by the way? We used to have this guy Wesley working with us, who was brilliant with books, but... well, he's gone."

She glanced at the office. "Well, I do know a lot about demons. I mean I've been around for more than a millennium, so it's hard to surprise me. But I'd be happy to help. Are your books in there?"

"Yeah, that's them!" Gunn checked the string of a crossbow, and finding it satisfactory put it down and started sharpening a sword. "Have a look - there was this seriously strong demon last night that got away, and if there's an easy way of killing it, I'd be a happy camper!"

Finding the demon proved easy indeed, and once in the office Anya began looking around. Within five minutes she discovered that the book-keeping for Angel Investigations was in a shambles and she immediately confronted Angel, demanding to know why. Angel looked rather embarrassed and slightly sad, explaining that Cordelia had been the one who'd kept it all together, but since she was now in some higher dimension, they'd not really thought about it much. She told him in no uncertain terms that this was quite simply not good enough! He couldn't expect any customers if he didn't advertise, and if he didn't hunt down the people who owed them money his employees would starve:

"Fred might be a genius, but from what I've seen so far she's hopeless with money, and neither Gunn nor Lorne have any sort of education in fiscal management I suspect. Cordelia I remember had the right sort of attitude, but if she's not coming back, I could maybe do her job?"

Angel had stared at her, then frowned in a puzzled manner and finally agreed. As he walked off she noticed how well built he was - very good shoulders and back. Vampires were excellent lovers she knew, and Angel had once had sex so good, it had made him lose his soul... hm, she needed to consider that!

***

After a week she was beginning to feel at home - she'd found out most of the background story, which seemed pretty much as screwed up as Buffy's lot. Angel had a teenaged son who'd been kidnapped and brought up in a hell dimension, and the guy who'd done the kidnapping was now a sort of not-friend only he'd rescued Angel from the bottom of the ocean; Fred had spent 5 years in a dimension called Pylea which was where Lorne was from and Gunn had staked his own sister and of course there was the whole thing with Cordelia... but they were friendly and she enjoyed looking after the business side of the company more than she had enjoyed anything for a long time. All she needed now was regular sex and her life might actually be worth living again. Which was where Angel came in...

***

She staged the attack quite carefully - turning up naked might have worked on Xander, but Angel was nearly a quarter of her age and would need some persuasion. Like a customer intent on browsing. Thankfully she could be very persistent. First she dyed her hair blonde again, as she found out that he preferred blondes. Then she updated her wardrobe, buying sexy, but tasteful clothes designed to entice. As she answered the phone she could often feel his eyes on her. She made sure to smile a lot.

He would ask questions now and again about her vengeance work, obviously trying to ascertain whether she was keeping to their agreement, but he soon discovered her complete lack of interest in her calling. Then one day he asked why she'd gone back to it, if she didn't like it anymore. She'd tried to shrug off the question, not wanting him to see how upset she still was, but didn't really succeed: "Well, what else could I do? It was all I knew so I tried to recapture my glory days, but it... kinda backfired."  
He had looked at her with that really dark look that meant that he was thinking _deep, brooding thoughts_, and she cursed inwardly. She didn't want to bond over the good/bad old days, she wanted to seduce him. Better start on phase 2 of the plan.

***

The very next day she invested in some seriously expensive lingerie and a silk kimono. Paying careful attention to when he got up and went to bed, she slipped into his room late one afternoon, when everyone else was out. She tiptoed over to the bed and noted with satisfaction that he was near-naked under the sheet. Daintily sitting down on the edge, making sure that the kimono revealed just enough to be alluring and hinted at so much more, she gently kissed him on the lips, lingering long enough for him to wake up.

He opened his eyes and suddenly sat up straight, clutching the sheet like a comforter: "Anya? What - what are you doing here?"

She smiled seductively and (she hoped) reassuringly: "I'm here - obviously - for sex!"

If he'd been Dracula he'd have turned himself into a bat and flown right out of there to get away from her, she was sure, but thankfully there was no such trick at his disposal.

"Em... well, that's... I mean... I don't..."

She leaned over and gently patted his arm. "Don't worry, I'm not in love with you or anything. It's just been nearly half a year since I've slept with anyone and quite frankly I could do with an orgasm-friend. And from what I've heard you've only had sex twice in the last hundred years, so you must honestly be going mad. I would anyway. So since neither of us can be with the person we loved I thought it'd make sense to get together and stop being so frustrated!"

Angel had the strangest look on his face - quite a few men had looked like that just before she exacted vengeance, but none when she had proposed sex: "Anya - I'm really flattered - I think - but I honestly don't think it's a good idea..."

"Why not?" she asked. "If you're worrying about losing your soul again, I doubt that's going to be an issue - although I _am_ very good! And if you do, then I'm a demon too and probably stronger than you, so quite capable of knocking you out until we can re-soul you!"

This made him completely speechless, so she figured she might as well start. Leaning over, she kissed him again, slowly letting her hand slip under the covers. He might be unwilling, but his body responded just like any other man's she found. As she briefly broke the kiss to look at him, she saw that his face was full of conflicting emotions... confusion, longing and lust fighting for supremacy; but as she bit her lip and tightened her grip, she saw him give in. She shrugged out of the kimono and he reached out for her, pulling her down to him in one swift motion. And as he started to hungrily kiss her back, his hands deftly removing her underwear, she knew that life was at last looking up again.


	2. Supersymmetry. The Anyanka way.

Fred was more furious than she could ever remember. Testing out weapons from the cabinet, Gunn and Angel were trying to calm her down, but she knew that she wouldn't find peace until the bastard had found out what true pain was:

"I idolised him, and he sent me to hell. Me and God knows how many others who didn't make it back. So-so sure! I'll calm down when he's dead!"

Gunn tried again: "Fred, please..."

Fred: "You don't know what it was like - no one does! God, I just wish that I could send him to a hell dimension where he'd learn what real fear and pain are!"

Suddenly there was a flash and a deep, unsettling voice: "Done!"

Fred stared in shock at the demon in front of her as its face melted back to it's human facade - Anya.

Fred gasped: "What... what happened?"

"I granted your wish!" she replied, smiling. "And can I just say that _that_ was one excellent wish? So inventive. You know - this was why I got into vengeance in the first place. To help wronged women like you. Thank you!"

And with a bright smile she walked away, leaving a bewildered Fred behind.


End file.
